How to be a creative genius at work
Creativity is an essential competency for Assistants, and here is why.
We are faced with unusual requests and challenges every day. We often have to ‘think outside the box’ to solve problems that most other people in the office wouldn’t even know where to start.
We are asked to solve problems and make people’s lives more accessible, and often, the only way to succeed is to think creatively.
We can solve many problems because we know what is happening in business and have a great network that can help. We have experience solving these issues, but high-level Assistants also use their creative skills to brainstorm ideas and develop new solutions. It doesn’t stop there. We are also asked to do many different tasks, and depending on the industry you work in, it might be the case that you are one of the most creative people in the room.
So if you have many creative ideas and can visualise and display your work creatively, this will add so much value (think, at the very least, what you could do with your Executive’s PowerPoint slides). So, let’s look at how to be a creative genius at work.
How to be a creative genius at work? The first thing to say is that creativity is highly valued in the workplace, so do shout that you have these skills or are working on improving your creative thinking. Senior-level executives need creative thinkers around them to help with problem-solving and decision-making.
Everything I have read about creative thinking indicates that this skill can be improved, so if you don’t feel like you are particularly creative, you can learn more creatively. Here are a few suggestions for being a creative genius at work.
Surround yourself with creative people
If somebody is exceptionally creative in your office, try to get some time in their diary to meet over a coffee and pick their brain. Ask what books they read and podcasts they listen to and ask for advice on being more creative in your working environment.
Use your imagination
This means being more open-minded to new possibilities and ways of working. Don’t limit your thinking, even with tasks you always do. Doing those things with your eyes closed (as we often do) will determine your imagination and thoughts on improvement.
Organising your creative thoughts
Again this is something that Assistants have in abundance – organisational skills! If you are creative and can arrange your thoughts so that you can communicate them clearly and sensibly – well, lovely readers, you are on to an absolute winner!
Ask lots of questions
This will set you up for many areas of the role, but asking great questions will fuel your creativity. Always be curious.
Creative projects for Assistants
If you are unsure where to start your creative genius journey, let’s look at some of the projects you can get involved with to help you develop your creative side.
Events
There are many elements when planning events that can showcase your creative side. Everything from the food to the stage set, badges, placeholders, entertainment, team building and invitation design. There is a lot to get stuck into regarding creativity and events.
Website / Intranet
Are your intranet pages looking a bit out of date? You can bring them to life with your creativity and knowledge of building a webpage.
Newsletters/blogs
If your Executive struggles to communicate with the team, why not suggest a monthly newsletter or series of blogs that you can help design and write?
Social media
Managing your Executive’s or your organisation’s social media accounts will help increase your writing skills; you can play around with graphics and videos.
Streamlining processes
Write down the processes with pain points and brainstorm ideas to resolve those issues. For example, does your organisation have a slow travel booking process? What can you suggest to improve the experience for your colleagues?
Presentations
I’ve mentioned it already, but you can make your Executive presentations much more enjoyable using creativity. Death by Powerpoint is natural, people!
Take part in corporate social responsibility activities
If you work in an organisation that cares about its culture, you will find many actions that you can participate in that will help fuel your creative side. You will probably come into contact with other staff members with the same outlook on life as you.
Office photoshoot
Have you updated your organisation’s headshots recently? Working with a creative person like a photographer will also help spark your creative side. You could also work with a photographer to get great shots of the behind-the-scenes activity in your organisation – or take the pictures yourself!
Being a creative thinker is an invaluable skill for Assistants and must be exercised regularly to stay sharp. It can be hard to master this working style, but it’s ultimately worth it. By keeping our minds open and looking for different solutions to problems, we can set ourselves apart from the status quo and make a real impact in our workplaces.
So why not challenge yourself today and see if you can create something unique? Creativity isn’t something that comes naturally to everyone – but with practice and dedication, anyone can learn the techniques necessary to excel at it. To develop your creativity further, check out the Assistant Mindset Online course – become more confident in problem-solving and gain skills that will increase your value as an Assistant. Now go on and use your imagination – you’re sure to amaze yourself!
